Dead Space (series)
Dead Space is a media franchise created by Glen Schofield, developed by Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts. The franchise centers on a series of video games of the third-person shooter and survival horror genres, and also includes two motion pictures and a comic book series, with more media planned for the future. The series began in 2008 as an eponymous video game aimed at creating, in Schofield's words, "the most terrifying game we could"; the game was a success and spawned a prequel and later a sequel released in 2011. Each installment in the Dead Space series is a continuation or addition to a continuing storyline which began with the release of the original eponymous game. The game is set in a 26th-century science fiction universe featuring environments, weapons and characters typical of the genre. The series' chronology is not presented in a linear format, with sections of the storyline presented in the form of either prequels or sequels, and in different media aside from only video games. Generally speaking, the series focuses on a man named Isaac Clarke and the horrors that surround him. So far the series has been commercially and critically successful, selling over 8.0 million copies; the first game and its sequel received widely positive reviews from the majority of critics and the first game has received a number of industry awards for many different elements of its gameplay and development. On March 4, 2013, it was reported that EA had shut down production of Dead Space 4 due to lower-than-expected sales of Dead Space 3. EA Games Label president Frank Gibeau had previously said that Dead Space 3 needed to sell 5 million copies to be successful. The following day, EA said the report was "patently false". Setting The series takes place in outer space in the 26th century. The first game is played on board the USG Ishimura, a planet cracker class spaceship orbiting a distant planet called Aegis VII, then moves to a colony on the planet itself. The second game is set on The Titan Sprawl, a city on a moon of Saturn. Prequels, sequels, and interquels take place on one of these two settings. Dead Space 3 takes place primarily on Tau Volantis, an ice covered frozen planet whose colony went dark 200 years ago and was never heard from again. Tau Volantis is also supposedly where the markers originate from. Characters Isaac Clarke Isaac Clarke is the main protagonist of the Dead Space series. Originally a ship systems engineer, his life changes for the worse when a seemingly-routine repair mission becomes a struggle to survive the Necromorph scourge. List of media Main series }} }} | refs = | release = 2008: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows | notes = * The first video game of the Dead Space series. * The Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows versions were not released in Asia. }} | refs = | release = 2011: Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 | notes = * A sequel to Dead Space }} | refs = | release = 2013: Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 | notes = * A sequel to Dead Space 2 and the third installment in the Dead Space series }} }} Spin-offs }} }} | refs = | release = 2009: Wii 2011: PlayStation 3 | notes = * A prequel to Dead Space * Re-released on PlayStation 3 bundled with Dead Space 2 with PlayStation Move support }} | refs = | release = 2010: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 | notes = * Prequel to Dead Space 2 * Available via PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade }} | refs = | release = 2011: iOS, Android | notes = * An interquel set between the first and second games in the main series. Unlike prior spin-offs, it features survival horror gameplay similar to the main series. * Developed by IronMonkey Studios, under supervision from Visceral Games. }} }} Other media Dramatizations }} }} | refs = | release = 2008: Film festival (United Kingdom only), DVD, BD | notes = * Takes place at the same time as Extraction and before the original Dead Space. }} }} | refs = | release = DVD, BD | notes = * Takes place between Dead Space and Dead Space 2 * Aftermath centers on the Aegis VII disaster and explores how the Government sends an unwitting crew of people to get exposed to Marker shards. The Government is secretly trying to produce a viable “Marker blueprint” carrier, no matter the costs. }} }} Printed | refs = | platform = Comic book | notes = * A comic book prequel to the Dead Space: Downfall film published between March and August 2008. * Written by Antony Johnston, illustrated by Ben Templesmith and published by Image Comics. }} | refs = | platform = Paperback http://www.amazon.com/dp/0765325039 | notes = * A novel written by B. K. Evenson, set roughly 200 years before Dead Space. It tells the story of geophysicist Michael Altman, who discovers a mysterious signal within the Chicxulub crater and after secretly obtaining a piece of the Marker, leaks it to the public and spreads the visions he received from it. He becomes the unwilling "prophet" of the Marker, marking the beginning of Unitology. }} | refs = | platform = Comic book http://www.amazon.com/dp/1600108156/ | notes = * A comic book written by Antony Johnston, illustrated by Christopher Shy and published by IDW Publishing * Tells the story of the Magpies, who discover an abandoned mining ship, the USG Ishimura. Their luck turns into a catastrophe as they realize they are in the middle of a living nightmare. }} |refs = | platform = Paperback | notes = * A novel written by B. K. Evenson, set two hundred and fifty years in the future after the events of Dead Space Martyr, extinction threatens mankind. Tampering with dangerous technology from the Black Marker—an ancient alien artifact discovered on Earth eighty years earlier—Earthgov hopes to save humanity. }} |refs = | platform = Comic book http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Space-Liberation-Ian-Edginton/dp/178116553X | notes = * A comic book written by Ian Edginton, illustrated by Christopher Shy and published by Titan Books * Tells the story of an Earthgov Sergeant, John Carver, whose wife and son are attacked by fanatics trying to liberate the Marker site where she works. }} }} Music albums Film Filmmaker John Carpenter is interested in making a Dead Space film. Justin Marks will write the script. References External links * [http://deadspace.ea.com/ EA's official Dead Space website] * Category:2008 introductions Category:Science fiction video games Category:Video game franchises Category:Dead Space (series) Category:Psychological horror games Category:Electronic Arts games Category:Survival video games Category:Paranormal in fiction Category:Space adventure video games Category:Abandoned buildings and structures in fiction Category:Video games set in the future Category:Zombie video games